Despite all the conversations. Despite all the warnings. Despite the emotional toll teens are experiencing…they are still glued to screens. Screen-time among teenagers continues to rise, and when young people want to avoid confrontation, they tend to hide, both in real life and behind their screens.
Belgian telecommunications company, PROXIMUS, wanted to put real connectivity back into teens’ lives. AKQA and PROXIMUS have issued a challenge – step away from screens, if only for a moment,
The campaign, Hide & Seek, created by AKQA and directed by Nitram through production company, HAMLET, encourages teenagers to disconnect by reimagining the classic game, Hide & Seek, but this time it’s digital.
Hide & Seek features a group of young people scrolling on their phones, not aware of anything else around them, when they are faced with the challenge, “How long can you stay offline?” Mirroring the feeling of letting go of screens, the horrified teenagers start to hide by sinking into the ground, diving into bushes, hiding under rocks…even camouflaging themselves before they are invited to join in a game of digital hide and seek and win prizes.
Participants need to pre-register for the game which officially starts on September 25. The rules are that players must stay offline by switching to airplane mode. This means they are ‘hiding’. However, once they connect to 5G, they become ‘found’ and the game ends. The longer they are able to stay offline, the bigger the reward, and the chance to win tickets for theme parks, the cinema and sports matches.
The campaign will roll out across digital channels (OLV, social media), web platforms, and digital out-of-home (DOOH) in Belgium until September 25, concluding just as the real game begins.
Nitram, director HAMLET, stated, “Teens hiding in ridiculous, meme-worthy ways just to avoid turning off their phones, that was all I needed to dive into this project. From hiding under a fake rock to a kid stuffed inside a runaway mailbox, we kept it all practical. It gives the film that surreal and charming energy… plus a few glorious fails (shoutout to the kid who gave it all and crashed mid-run inside the mailbox)”
Kenn Van Lijsebeth, creative director AKQA Brussels, added, “It’s rare to find talent, drive, and kindness in the same director. Nitram has no ego. He’s just really good. We truly loved every second working with him. If it were up to us, we’d have him working exclusively for us. But chances are, he’ll soon be priceless.”
Credits
Client: Proximus
Agency: AKQA
Executive Creative Director: Peter Ampe
Creative Team: John Benois & Kenn Van Lijsebeth, Lilith Kempynck
Client Service Director: Catherine De Block
Account Team: Naomi Reynaerts, Aurélie Thollebeek, Audrey Semal
Agency Producer: Marie Libouton
Production Company: HAMLET
Director:Nitram
Executive Producers: Ruben Goots, Jason Felstead, Mathias Kerner
Producer: Janne Aerts
Post-Producer: Basile van der Straten
Director of Photography: Virgil Leclercq
Steadycam Operator: Charly Vandedrinck
Art Direction: Stan Maertens
Styling: Gudrun Wylleman
Make-up: The Make-up Agency
Editor: Robin De Praetere
Post-production Company: Frames, Brussels
VFX Company: Tape, Vilnius
Sound Design: Matteo De Marinis
Color Grader: Ahmed Gendy
